Haryana sarpanchs protesting e-tender policy break barricades, cops lathicharge

The police said some protesters tried to jump over the barricades and enter Chandigarh. The sarpanchs, however, claimed that the police resorted to lathicharge despite their protest being “peaceful” and alleged that several protesters were injured in the action.

Earlier, Bhupeshwar Dayal, OSD to CM, met the protesting sarpanchs in Panchkula and assured them that the government is open to discussing their demands. He also urged them not to inconvenience people by blocking the roads. The sarpanchs, however, continued to squat on the roads to press for their demands. They later tried to enter Chandigarh by breaking police barricades following which police resorted to lathicharge.

Haryana Sarpanch Association president Ranbir Singh claimed that more than 100 village heads and other protesters, inluding women, were injured, some of them grievously. He said some of them have been admitted to government hospital in Panchkula.

Soon after the lathicharge, the sarpanchs again assembled at the Panchkula-Chandigarh border and launched a dharna.
Ranbir Singh, who is also the sarpanch of village Samain (Fatehabad), said: “We have decided to set up a pakka morcha like the farmers did at the Delhi borders during the agitation against the farm laws. Our agitation will continue till our demands are not accepted.”

He also denied any stone pelting by the protesters. “We did not indulge in any type of stone pelting. In fact, some sarpanchs sustained injuries after being hit by stones. There may have people planted by government who indulged in stone pelting,” said Ranbir Singh.

Late evening, a police spokesperson said that an FIR has been registered against the protesters. The spokesperson said protesters broke the barricades despite being told about the prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC . “Some anti-social elements in the crowd pelted stones on the police which caused injuries to some sarpanchs apart from injuries to 20-25 policemen who were taken to the hospital for treatment,” added the spokesperson.

After the recently held panchayat polls in Haryana, the newly elected village heads have been protesting against the e-tendering system for development works in rural areas, claiming that it would curtail their spending powers.

Under the e-tendering system, village heads can approve development works up to Rs 2 lakh at their own level but e-tendering is mandatory for projects above Rs 2 lakh.

On Monday, a meeting on the issue between the Haryana government and the village heads failed to find any resolution.

While Development and Panchayat Minister Devender Singh Babli reiterated that the e-tendering system would bring transparency and ensure quality in development projects, the Haryana Sarpanchs’ Association claimed that the new policy would create “hindrances” in development works.

The village heads have also warned that they would continue their protest if the government did not accept their demands.

On Wednesday, the Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal hit out at the BJP-JJP government and strongly condemned the “lathicharge”.

In a tweet in Hindi, senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala are running the government not according to “prajatantra (democratically)” but with the help of “lathtantra (use of force)”.

Every section seeking justice — be it employees or sarpanchs — are being mercilessly thrashed by the police, Surjewala alleged.

Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda also condemned the alleged action.

“The government is constantly trying to supress the democratic voices,” Hooda, a former chief minister, said.

“In a democracy, the government cannot be run on the strength of batons and bullets and a dialogue with the public and its cooperation is necessary,” said Hooda. He said today, every section — be it farmers, labourers, employees or youths — is agitating against the BJP-JJP government.

Senior Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Chautala said, “…after the agitating farmers, unemployed youth and employees, the dictatorial government has now lathi-charged the sarpanchs. I strongly condemn the lathicharge done on sarpanchs”.